So this will be the labor story. I realize that there are a few out there who would rather not read this...and to be honest, I don't blame you one bit!
After three delays for the induction, we called at 7am on Sunday the 9th and were told that we could come up to the hospital. We got ready and were admitted at about 8:30am. Once were were in the Family Care Unit (the new and fancy name for Labor & Delivery), they hooked me up to all of the monitors and it was discovered I was having contractions!
Now a short back track--Saturday night after dinner I had what I thought to be one contraction (my stomach tightened--really hard, and then relaxed) and then I just had a crampy feeling for the remainder of the evening and through the night. I even made Ronnie rub my lower back due to the ache that I was feeling there, but I didn't for one moment think that I was in labor.
The doctor came in, I was dilated to a 2, but the contractions were coming too fast to truly be effective, so they wanted to slow them down before they did anything else. I got an IV and they pumped 2 full bags into me to slow down the contractions (apparently dehydration can cause the contractions to not be as effective).
The IV worked, my contractions slowed down--too much. They gave me a pill to soften my cervix and I continued to wait. Ronnie and I walked around the halls a lot and I *loved* pushing my IV cart wherever I went.
At 2pm, the doctor decided to break my water to get things moving. It worked, but not incredibly fast. The contractions became more intense, but I did not get to a 4 until 7pm. All of my labor was back labor--which was NOT my favorite thing. When the doctor came in and I was at a 4, he asked what my birth plan was and I responded--Epidural please! I assume they called the nurse anesthetist at that time, although I did not see her until 9pm.
After the epidural was in, my pain was less, but my back pain was relatively the same. After an hour, I asked for more relief--since I was really feeling the back labor again, but was told that the epidural doesn't do much for back labor pain (What!!! Doesn't it numb me from the stomach down? How can my lower back not be part of that equation?)
At 11pm, the nurse checked me and I was at a 9 1/2. The entire nursing staff was amazed at my quick progress (little did they know that I am my mother's daughter, and once we get to a 4, we move VERY quickly).
A little after midnight, I began pushing. How I wish I was one of *those* people who push twice and then get to hold their little one. Alas, it was not to be so. I pushed for 2 hours and 15 minutes to receive my little bundle of joy. (He really was worth it though!) Easton arrived at 2:40am and I proceeded to cry with happiness and then try to control the shakes I was having so I could hold him!
Looking back, I am so grateful for Ronnie and his support through the entire thing--I'm also happy to report that I did not turn into a psycho lady during labor and was only mad at Ronnie once the entire night (and that was at the very end when I was too tired to say anything out loud and I wanted him to read my mind so that I wouldn't have to use ANY more energy talking).
I'll be happy to report if you really do forget it in a while--but not for a long while. I was talking to my all-knowing 80 year old Grammy on the phone last weekend and she said, "They tell you that you will forget--but you DON'T! If I can remember 55 years later, you can be sure you will too!"
And I'll leave you with that.
And here we see the Shepherds. Their flocks were totally obedient (and absent).
This was the angel in prophetic position.
And the wise men bearing their gifts. 
Here is the snazzy narrator. He gladly volunteers for this position (notice how he is the only one without any stitch of a costume).
Easton with Grandma Cali
